Push-in terminal lugs



Aug. 2, 1960 R. R. scovlLLE PUSH-1N TERMINAL Lues Filed July 25, 1956 FIG. IA.

FIGJB.

FIG. 2A.

IN VENTOR O 23 tlf 22 RAY R. SGOVILLE ATTORNEYS United States Patent C PUSH-1N TERMINAL LUGs Ray R. Scoville, 3352 San Fernando Road, Los Angeles 65, Calif.

Filed July 25, 1956, Ser. N0. 600,016

7 Claims. (Cl. 339-95) The present invention relates to connecting devices and i'is more particularly concerned with novel and improved terminal lugs adapted for use in electrical circuit applica- '.tions.

Various forms of terminal lug structures have been :suggested -in the past for providing connection between -diierent electrical circuits, but for the most part, these known terminal lugs have been subject to a number of -disadvantages For instance, such terminal lugs have generally been designed to accommodate but a single electrical connection; and when an attempt has been made to so design the lug that plural connections may in fact be coupled thereto, considerable care has still been required to assure -that the said plural connections do not interfere with one another. This necessary care has resulted, in general, in terminal lug structures which have been somewhat complex and often costlyy to manufacture; and notwithstanding this necessary complication and cost, such terminal lugs vknown heretofore have nevertheless seriously limited the possible interconnection of plural circuits into a desired circuit configuration.

,The present invention serves to obviate the foregoing difficulties, and is, in general, concerned with an improved terminal lug structure which is capable of ready attachment to a supporting board or the like, and which may receive a plurality of non-interfering electrical conductors from a plurality of different orientations relative to I A further object of the present invention resides in the v provision of an electrical connector device capable of 'receiving several electrical connections from a plurality of directions without the said connections interfering with i one another.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved terminal lug which may receive electrical connections by automatic hopper feeding techniques.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel terminal lug having improvedsupporting and fastening means thereon, whereby the said lug may be quickly and securely attached to a terminal board or the like.

Another lobject ofthe invention resides in the provision of a terminal which may extend on both sides of an insulating strip or which may be snipped olf on one side close to the said strip, the latter operation act-ing also to anchor the terminal firmly in place by aring the sides `of a U- shaped portion of the said terminal outwardly. v

Another object resides in the provision of a terminal which may be simply pushed into a hole in an insulating board, either with the fingers or with a pair of pliers and which will be retained in the hole by the resilience of the r Sides of a U-shaped portion of the terminal. Thus, termier t ECC

nals may be easily added to build up equipment without recourse to a staking press. A further advantage of this particular terminal design isthat, if extra retentivity is required, the terminal may be very iirmly staked in place by means of a tool which will flare the sides of the said U-shaped portion outwardly and also press a dimple into the bottom ofthe said U to overlap the board.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a terminal lug having a connector portion adapted to cooperate with portions of similar such lugs whereby a plurality of lugs in accordance with the present invention may be readily strapped to one another without the need of providing separate electrical connecting means.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of electrical connector devices, and more particularly terminal lugs, which may be readily installed on apertured terminal boards at high speed by automatic machinery. In this particular respect, it should be noted that the terminal lugs of the present invention may, if desired, be formed in continuous strips which may be stored on reels for later automatic feeding to high speed installation machinery. A plurality of such lugs may accordingly be automatically installed, snipped off, and even bent relative to terminal boards, in the manners to be described, as the said terminals are installed on such boards.

Moreover, if the hole or aperture spacing on the said terminal boards or insulating strips is made equal to the spacing of terminals on the said continuous strip, a plurality of terminals may be readily pushed into the strip simultaneously thus resulting in faster installation `than has een the case heretofore.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a terminal lug which is inexpensive to fabricate and employ, and which may be produced by known manufacturing techniques.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a terminal lug which may be made in small sizes and which is adapted to receive and securely hold one or more electrical connections in a configuration which is rugged and which avoids possible mechanical failures.

lIn providing for the foregoing objects and advantages, as well as for further objects and advantages which will become readily apparent from the subsequent description, the present invention contemplates the provision of a terminal lug comprising a bifurcated or forked connector portion integrally formed with an elongated resilient fastening element which is preferably of U-shaped channel configuration, but which may take other resilient shapes including a split substantially tubular configuration. The major axis of the said U-shaped fastening element is disposed substantially parallel to the axis of the aforementioned forked connector portion, and these two axes are preferably displaced from one l'another so that each portion of the overall terminal lug may receive electrical conductors in non-interfering relation to one another. The aforementioned resilient fastening portion is adapted for insertion into a complementary aperture in a terminal board whereby :the overall lug may be retained in the board by the inherent resilience of the U-shaped connector itself; and this arrangement further permits electrical connections to be made to the said lug above, below, and through :the terminal board.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned terminal lug further includes an unforked connector portion or thumb disposed closely adjacent to and substantially at right angles to the aforementioned forked connector portion; and the said thumb may in turn be utilized to receive still further electrical connections or may, by appropriate bending, be employed as a strap whereby plural terminal i lugs, generally of the type Ito be described, may be .electrically interconnected with one another.

The foregoing objects, advantages and construction of the present invention will be more readily appreciated 'from the following description `and accompanying drawings, in which:

:Figure 1A is an enlarged view of an improved termi- =na1 lug constructed Lin accordance with the present invention and inserted in an illustrative terminal board;

Figure 1B is a top View `of `the lug illustrated in Figure 1A;

-Figure 2A is ia representation of :plural typical terminal lugs mounted on a Aterminal board in accordance with various -aspects of the present invention; and

Figure 2B ,is a :side view of a terminal lug constructed in accordance with the present invention, and dimpled subsequent to insertion in a terminal board thereby to effect vpositivestaking of the said lug.

Referring now to Figures 1A and 1B, it will be seen that, in -accordance wi-th the present invention, an improved push-in terminal or terminal lug may comprise a lirst connector portion which is bifurcated thereby to define a pair of elongated lingers l11 and 12. The inner surfaces of each of the said lingers 11 and 12 is serrated, .as at 13, whereby a conductor may be inserted between the -said fingers 11 `and 12 and will be gripped and firmly held in place bythe said serrations 13. Closely adjacent -to theconnectorportion 10 is a further connector portion -or thumb 14 disposed` atsubstantially right angles to the 4connector portion 10, and the said connector portions 10 4and 14 are ,developed integrally into an elongated resilient fastening portion Y15 having -a crosssection of substantially U-shape (lsee Figure 1B).

As is illustrated in Figure 1A, `the fastening portion 15 is split, as at 16, along a line substantially parallel to its major axis 117; and the said U-shaped portion 15 further includes a notch or -recess 18 whereby the lower end of portion 15 is also bifurcated for the reception of a still further electrical connector, if such be desired. Moreover, as will be appreciated from an examination of Figures 1A and 1B, the major axis 17 of the aforementioned portion 15 is disposed substantially parallel to, but spaced from, the center line 19 of the -slot disposed between fingers 1.1 land 12; and this arrangement permits a conductor to be inserted into the portion 15 along the major axis thereof without the said conductor interfering with a further conductor held between fingers 1.1 andv12 by the said serrations 13.

In practice, theroverall terminal vlug described maybe fabricated of half hard brass having a hot -tin dipped finish, and a plurality of such connectors may, if desired, beintegrally formed and interconnected with one another through the agency of an elongated Afeeder strip 20 (shown in dotted line -in Figure 1A and in full line in Figure 2A), whereby a large number of such terminals can be stored in reel form for gang insertion into a terminal board, such las 21. The feeder -strip 20 may, if desired, be removed or cut away from the remainder of the terminal lugs subsequent to -such gang insertion thereby to effect a plurality ofvindividual terminals of the type shown in full line in -Figure 1A.

Terminal lboard 21 includes a plurality of circular apertures 22 preferably having `a predetermined uniform spacing therebetween (eg. .265 inch on centers), and the said aperture spacing corresponds to the spacing between .adjacent terminal lugs von feeder strip 20, so that the aforementioned gang insertion of plural terminals can, if desired, be effected. Each such aperture 22 preferably defines an inside diameter slightly less than 'the outside diameter of U-shaped portion 15 comprising thefastening element ofthe overall terminal lug illustrated in'Figure 1A. lWhen a portion 15, of -myfimproved terminal'lug, is

inserted into `such-an aperture 22, therefore, the overall i lug is compressed slightly 'and held snugly in 'the' comple- 4 mentary aperture 22 by the springy `or resilient 'action Aof the U-shaped or split section `15 itself.

A terminal so inserted may receive a plurality of connections above, below, and through, the terminal board 21; and in particular, connections may be made, as has been described, between the fingers 11 and 12; around each finger 11 and 12; between finger 12 and thumb 14; around thumb 14; through'the hollow or U-shaped portion 15; around portion 15; and into the notch or yrecess 18 defined at the lower end ofthe'sa'id portion y15. Moreover, when a plurality of terminal lugs, Agenerally of the type described, are inserted into `a terminal board, such as 21, without subsequent removal of the feeder strip 20, the said feeder 'strip20 may inturn `actto provide for still further electrical .connections twhereby the overall arrangement acts to provide a most etiicient terminal strip adapted to receive a very large number of individual non-interfering connectors.

It 'will be appreciated that the particular illustration in Figure 1A, :of la preferred terminal lug -in accordance lwith the A'present invention, has been-considerably enlarged for purposes of clarity. In practice, the overall lug'is relatively small in size -and is fabricated of metal having athickness fof, for instance, .01.6 inch. A preferred lug, in yaccordance vwith the present invention, has an overall length of little more than 1/2 inch; and the various dimensions of Ithe lug are correspondingly of vsmall size. `Certain typical dimensions in a preferredlug have'been designated b y letters A through H inclusive, in Figure 1A, vvand such .typicaldimensions are as follows:

Inch A .170 B .T45 lC .060 'D .040 E .093 vF .11125 vG Y f i281 H '.250

4It will be appreciated from the foregoing description `t-hata :terminal lugfin kaccordance with :the present {inven- M tion Lcan be. readily fabricated from -sheet metalA material by ysuitable punching and bending operations; and terminals soformed can be readily and firmly attachedto a terminal board, whereby the said terminal or'termfnails can receive a widely diversified plurality of -ielectrical conductors.

lFigures 2Aand ZBiIlustrate certainespectsof terminals and terminal strips constructed in accordance withthe present-invention;.and in particular,4 it willA benoted that, vas has been-described, a board T21 having 'a pll 1 ralityof regularly spaced apertures l2,2, canqreceive and retain a `pluralityof terminal lugs Igenerally of the type'ralready ,a structure, ,asfis illustrated inthe .drawings,both above and belowa ,terminal boardsuchaas 21; andthis latter .concept has been illustrated.by/.thegdiagrarnmatic representationof electrical components 28 ,andY 29 disposed (for instanceat right angles tofone another) above board 21, while afurther typical component 30cm-.be attached and the actual interconnection oftermnals in accordance with the present invention will depend upon particular circuit requirements. For instance, a plurality of components may be connected parallel to one another or at right angles to one another both above and below board 21, and various such components can be further interconnected with one another through the provision of conductors passing through the board 21 via the hollow resilient fastening portions `15 of preselected terminal lugs.

Certain other features of the present invention should be noted, and these latter features have -also been illustrated in Figures '2A and 2B. Thus', as has been described, a typical individual terminal lug in accordance with the present invention can be maintained in place on a terminal board such as 21, through the resilience of `the fastening portion 15; and one typical lug so attached to a board 21 has been designated at 31. Under some circumstances, it may be desired to provide a more positive means of holding the terminal vlug of the present 'invention in place, and such increased security of retention can belachieved, for instance, by spreading the portion 15 after the terminal has been inserted into a terminal into U-shaped portion 1S below board 21 thereby to positively stake the terminal lug in place. In the alternative,

f ionce. insertion of a terminal lug has been effected, the

lower fastening portion can be snipped off close to the bottom of terminal board 21, as at 33, thereby to spread the lower sides of the terminal and bind it in place.

In addition, it will be appreciated that under some conditions, it may be desired to effect electrical connections between adjacent terminal lugs in accordance with the present invention; and the terminal lug described previously includes means which permit the strapping of such adjacent lugs to one another without separate electrical connections -being necessary. ln particular, referring to terminal lugs 34 and 35 in Figure 2A, it will be seen that the thumb 36 of a lug such as 34 can be bent downward so that a terminal portion thereof is disposed under and in firm intimate mechanical and electrical contact with an adjacent finger, such as '37, of the terminal lug 35.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has thus been described, it must be stressed that the foregoing description is meant to be illustrative only and should -not be considered limitative of my invention. Various modifications will be suggested to those skilled in the art, and all such modifications as are in accord with the principles described are meant to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invent-ion, I claim:

l. A terminal connector comprising first and second elongated conductive elements spaced from one another to define a first slot therebetween and integrally attached to one another adjacent one end thereof, said first and second conductive elements being disposed in a substantially common plane and the i-nner spaced facing edges of said first and second elements, defining said first slot, being serrated thereby to firmly grip an external electrical conductor inserted therebetween, a third elongated substantially planar conductive element disposed transverse to the plane of said first and second elements, said third element being spaced from said first and second elements for the major portion of its length to define a second slot for the reception of an external electrical conductor, said third element being integrally attached adjacent one end thereof to the integrally attached portions of said first and second elements thereby to effect an lintegral connector comprising three spaced connector elements with two only -of said threeelements being substantially cplanar, means for `attaching said integral connector to a terminal board comprising elongated fastening means having a length of the same order of magnitude as the lengths of said first, second, and third conductive elements, said fastening means comprising a conductive member of subrelation to the base of said U-shaped element, said stantially U -shaped channel form integrally attached adja cent one of its ends to the integrally attached portions of s'aid first, second, and third conductive elements, said `elongated substantially U-shaped conductive member being slotted adjacent the other end thereof for the reception of a further external electrical conductor, the major yelongated axis of said substantially U-shaped member be- .first planar connector por-tion integral with one end of said elongated U-shaped element, the plane of said bifurcated planar portion extending in substantially coplanar bifurcated planar portion extending transverse to the plane of said board and adapted for the reception of electrical connections extending substantially parallel to the plane of said terminal board, the extended center line 4of said bifurcated planar portion being displaced from and substantially parallel to the center line of said U-shaped fastening element whereby said U-shaped fastening element is adapted to receive further electrical connections extending transverse to the plane of said board through said U-shaped fastening element, and a second planar connector portion integral with said one end of said U-shaped element, said second planar connector portion extending lfrom one side of said U-shaped element, the adjacent edges of said first and second planar connector portions being spaced from one another to define a slot therebetween for the reception of still further electrical connections.

3. A terminal lug comprising an elongated conductive fastening element of resilient U-shaped channel form having three elongated sides, a pair of spaced planar fingers disposed in coplanar relation to one another and in substantially coplanar relation to one side of said fastening element to define a planar bifurcated connector portion integral with one end `of said elongated U-shaped element for the reception of electrical connections in the elongated slot defined between said fingers, and a further elongated connector portion integral with a second side of said U-shaped element at said one end of said element, the plane of said further connector portion being transverse to the plane of said bifurcated connector portion, the adjacent elongated edges of said bifurcated and further connector portions being spaced from one another to define a further elongated slot, narrower in width than said first mentioned slot, for the reception of further electrical connections.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the other end of said U-shaped fastening element is bifurcated to define a still further elongated slot, extending from the terminus of said other end of said U-shaped element toward said one end of said element, for the reception of an electrical conductor.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said further planar connector portion is readily bendable whereby said further connector portion may be bent to electrically connect said terminal lug to similar such terminal lugs.

6. A terminal lug adapted to be removably mounted on a substantially planar terminal board having an aperture therein, said lug comprising an elongated resilient conductive element of substantially U-shaped channel configuration adapted to extend through said aperture transverse to said board whereby a first electrical conductor may be passed through said board via said U-shaped element in conductive contact with the inner walls of said U-shaped element, first and second elon- 'gated `copla-nar connector portions vattached to one side of *said "U'shaped element ladjacent to one Vsurface -of said Iboard, 'said tirs-t -and second connector portions being spaced from one another 'to define a first .elon- 5 gated slot, extending Itransverse to the -plfane of said fbb'ard Jin 4a direction substantially jparallcl to but disji'ilfac'ed `from the Vcenter `line -of sai'd U-shaped element, `f-'fizir the reception 'of a second electrical conductor, and La `-third elongated planar lconnector port-ion attached -to another side of said U-shaped element .adjacent to said one 'surface 'of said board, said y-th-ird elongated connector portion being spaced -fro'rn said second connector portion whereby said second `and fthird connector =port`ions define a second elongated slot therebetween, =having a v15 'Width lless "than said fiirst elongated slot =and extending a 'direc-'tion substantially parall Ito said -iirst slot, for fthe reception vo'f a third electrical conductor.

7. lA terminal lug comprising fa single metallic Aelern'ent lbent 'and shaped 'to define, as integral portions thereof, rst -and second fspaced elongated planar -con ductive elements integrally attached to one another ;adja- 'cent one end thereof, said rst and second `conductive 'elements having inner spaced vserrated facing edges radapted -to .firmly grip an external electrical conductor 25 258744551 inserted `therebetween, -a third `elongated substantially planar conductive element disposed adjacent'said second `conductive element, `Said third element Ihaving an elon gated edge spaced from an elongated adjacent edge of said second lelement V1fer the major `portion o'f its length 4to dene la ifurther :slot `der the reception -of fa further :electrical conductor, said third element 4being integrally attached adjacent 'one end thereof to Ithe integrally .attached por-tions o'f said first fand 'second elements, said lintegrally Lattache/d portions of said dirSt, second, `:and thirdfelements -be'ing disposed along, and fasvlintegral portions of, an elongated three-sided conductive substan- 10 -tlly U-shaped member fat fone fend :of said elongated yLJ-Plhaped member, `said elongated lsubstantially lU-shaped conductive member having La slot adjacent the :other "end Tthereof, fepening into vsaid other Jend, for the reception of ra furtherexternal felectricalfconductor. Y

References A:llited fin the .'fil'e of 'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

